Of Memories and Memorials
by S. R. Singh
Summary: Five Years had past since Gordon Edgely died. It was so abrupt that the Magical World never got to say goodbye. Now's the time. But one...one very important person is missing. What is she thinking?


The Christchurch Cathedral of Wexford.

"Why are we here?" The seventeen year old Valkyrie asked her mentor, Skulduggery Pleasant.

"I thought you might like to see something." He said opening the door of the Bentley. She glanced around; the car park was fairly full.

"Your disguise." She said urgently. She didn't think a skeleton in a suit would be a good thing to be seen in the car park of a cathedral.

"Won't be needing it." It had been five years since Gordon Edgely died. Exactly five years. Valkyrie Cain walked to the door but Stephanie Edgely walked through it. She saw her Uncle smiling at her.

"What's going on?"

"We never got to have a funeral for Gordon. Our world. This is a memorial. I thought you'd like to see it."

"Isn't that Echo-Gordon?" She indicated the man laughing, the man who looked exactly like her Uncle did six years ago.

"It is. A lot of people miss Gordon, Valkyrie. He was as much part of this world as I am." She looked around. Tanith and Ghastly were approaching them. Finbar Wrong and his wife were looking a little lost, no surprise there. Bliss and Solomon Wreath were talking to Echo-Gordon. Kenspeckle was there looking very serious as he asked Gordon a question. Gordon answered and he immediately turned and pulled out a cellphone. Gordon watched him leave with an amused expression. She saw many people she had met over the past few years. Phoenix 'Fen' Guardian, the most powerful Fire Elemental in the world and the Grand Mage of the England Elders, Frightening Jones the Second-In-Command and Kingsley Tower the last member of the English Sanctuary were conversing in a circle. These huge men cast off a misleading impression that they were to be feared. She noticed a man she knew quite well, Gordon's editor, Cordell Vapour

"Cordell…" Valkyrie muttered.

"Adept. Super-sonic flight." Skulduggery told her.

"That…why didn't he tell me?"

"He isn't involved much." She saw Sorcerers and Mages she knew purely by reputation and pictures. It wasn't a mournful mood in the cathedral, it was celebratory. Celebrating Gordon's life. Music was playing and food was being served.

"Valkryie. Gordon wants to see you." Tanith said leaning against her husband, Ghastly.

"Thanks." She muttered before walking towards her Uncle. Her team watched her.

"Stephanie!"

"Gordon. Mr. Bliss. Wreath."

"Valkyrie." Bliss greeted in his now raspy voice, a condition of his return. After the Faceless One had destroyed him, his power had allowed him to return to the land of the living with a few limitations. Speed was no longer his.

"Cain." Wreath greeted. He didn't like her very much anymore, after she'd switched from Necromancy back to Elemental Magic.

"Stephanie." Gordon smiled.

"Enjoying yourself?" Bliss and Wreath left.

"All my friends are here. Save for one." He said a hint of sadness in his voice. He looked at the door. She looked around the room. Who wasn't here? Then it dawned on her.

"China." She said softly. Gordon smiled a small smile at her.

"I did rather get my hopes up…"

"China's a busy lady you know."

"Still. After all we had."

"Gordon. You-." The door opened and he brightened up but when he saw Ghastly step out and shut the door, he sagged again. Valkyrie decided against pointing out how China's powers made everyone fall in love with her. She turned to stand side-by-side with her Uncle. They surveyed the room.

"You knew all this people?"

"I was _the_ magical researcher my dear niece. If you ever wanted to find out something come to Gordon Edgely. At least everyone has asked me a question. Except for Skulduggery but he asks one every other day so it doesn't matter."

"You finally met Tanith."

"She was a nice girl."

"She was as nervous as a little school girl wasn't she?"

"Ghastly was practically holding her up."

* * *

On the Third Floor of an old tenement building, past shelves and shelves of books was an armchair. In an armchair an enchantingly beautiful woman sat with her legs folded under her. Her fingers massaging her temple, on the side table there was a white letter with a photo.

_China,_

_We're holding Gordon's memorial tomorrow. We've found an Echo Stone. He wants to see you. Even though you haven't said anything, you still wear the ring. He was your fiancé. You have to come._

_Skulduggery_

The picture held three people. In the middle was Gordon Edgely, handsome and charming, his brown hair attractively wavy. His arms were around the other two. Skulduggery without his disguise and China who was glancing at Gordon with a smile. It had been taken seven years ago at their engagement party. Not many people had turned up. Skulduggery, Meritorious, Morwenna, Bliss, Kenspeckle and Ghastly. Those days things weren't too bad. They had made plans to merge their libraries, to go travel and unlock the wonders of the world. She stood up and walked to her window, observing the street below her. She remembered…

_

* * *

The day had started out as it usually did. China awoke in the arms of her fiancé who was staring at the ceiling and mumbling to himself. _

"_What are you doing?" she sighed as she trailed a finger down his jaw._

"_This last chapter is getting very difficult to finish."_

"_Oh yes. Killing a man, like you do every time is _very _difficult."_

"_There's no proof Wolfe died. I can either make him vanish or kill him."_

"_Splinter Wolfe would rather you killed him off in a heroic way than make him go missing, but given how you always make people die in the most unworthy of deaths maybe making him disappear would be better." She said. He chuckled and nodded._

"_Stephanie said the same thing when I described Wolfe to her."_

"_How is she?"_

"_Oh good, good. It's getting harder and harder to keep her away from this. She's an intelligent girl."_

"_Strong-willed…" China prompted with a smile knowing how this would end._

"_Sharp-tongued and doesn't suffer fools gladly." He said with a smile. _

"_Would you ever introduce her to me?"_

"_Of course. When?"_

"_That was a test dear one."_

"_You never want to meet her." China looked away._

"_I'm not ready." He kissed her shoulder._

"_Whenever you are. She's my favourite niece China. If I love you. She'll love you."_

* * *

How right he was. China liked to think of Stephanie as the daughter she would never have.

_

* * *

China walked in from the library to see Gordon hurrying into his waistcoat._

"_What are you doing?" she laughed._

"_Strike of inspiration. Can't lose it." he was hopping towards her trying to get his shoes on. he fell face first. She put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, he leaped up and looked around, he turned back to her with a grin._

"_Meant to do that."_

"_I'm sure." She laughed linking arms with him as they strode out into the library, she showed him to the door and he turned with his customary smile and leaned forward, she kissed him._

"_I'll be back soon." He said as he kissed her._

"_Mm. Mmhmm." _

"_Ok. I have to go."_

"_Oh yeah. Sure." He made no effort to pull away from her._

"_Stop that." He said with a laugh. She pouted._

"_You're no fun."_

"_I'll make it up to you." He gave her a quick peck and turned as his foot made it to the first step he turned and smiled._

"_Love you." _

"_Love you too." She said with a laugh shutting the door._

* * *

China shut her eyes as a single tear fell. She could imagine him walking down the very street she was observing, muttering to himself as he climbed into his Range Rover. She didn't want to but she knew that a black sedan would have pulled out and followed him to his house. And that was the reason Gordon never kept his promise. He never came back.

* * *

_**Its my first time with a Skulduggery Fiction. I liked the idea of China and Gordon together. If I've made mistakes with canon. Sorry. But Please Review.**_


End file.
